January scores 19 points to help first-place Fever hold off Mystics, 78-73

Briann January scored 19 points, including four free throws in the final 2.9 seconds, to help the Indiana Fever hold on to first place in the Eastern Conference with a 78-73 win over the Washington Mystics on Saturday night.

Ebony Hoffman and Katie Douglas added 13 points each, and Tamika Catchings had 12 points before fouling out as the Fever (15-7) held off a late rally to win their fourth straight and sixth in the last seven.

Indiana moved 1½ games ahead of Washington in the tight Eastern Conference where only four games separated the six teams at the start of the day.